The Shark, & Remora.
London, Published Decr. 1st, 1791, by J. Johnson, St. Paul’s Church Yard.
A large shark now swimming alongside the ship, we did all that lay in our power to take it, but to no purpose. Sharks are in these seas of different kinds; but what is generally called the white shark is the most terrible of its species, on account of its size, weighing often one thousand pounds, and measuring sixteen or eighteen feet in length; the head, which is something depressed, is large; [[385]]it has two spouting holes, and prominent eyes, which it can turn in every direction, and bespeak the malignity of its all-devouring nature; nearly under these are its mouth and throat, of such an enormous size, that it will swallow a bull-dog: its teeth, which are placed in five or six rows, are so sharp and strong, that they will snap off a man’s arm or his leg with ease, which has very frequently happened. The whole shape of this fish is in every respect like that of the dog-fish, found in the North Seas, with very strong fins, one dorsal, two ventral, and two abdominal: the tail is bifurcated, the upper part being longest; the skin is slimy, rough, and used for what we call shagreen. The shark always swims with velocity, but must turn upon its side to take its prey, by which many fish escape its jaws.
The remora, or sucking-fish, is frequently found sticking to sharks, and to ships bottoms: this fish is ash-coloured, and long, about twenty inches; the body roundish, and tapering near the tail; the fins are placed as those of the shark, and the under skin is projecting; its sucker is, however, what makes it most remarkable, being an oval gristly plate above its head, with transverse bars, like the palate of a sheep. This sucker has so much attraction, that no waves, however violent, can beat it off.—(For both these fishes, see the Plate annexed.)
The pilot-fish ought here also to be noticed: this is small, with brilliant colours, and is said not only to feed upon [[386]]the gills of the shark, but to direct it to its prey, from which singularity originates its name.
On the 1st of May, being exactly one month at sea, during which time, by way of making a trial, I had continued bare-footed and bare-headed, without catching cold; I this day, for the first time, not only dressed like my ship-mates, but wore every thing double, and some things triple, which I found exceedingly comfortable.
About this time a Mr. Neyseus, one of our surgeons, having on board a crabbodago or grisson (whose ferocity I have already described) to carry home as a curiosity, the mischievous creature broke loose, and in one night murdered all the monkies, parrots, poultry, and other animals that were upon deck, while it drove most of the crew who had the watch down the hatchway; till luckily one of them with a hand-spike knocked out his brains.
On the 3d, we had hard gales and heavy showers at S. E. Latitude about 40°. From this time the gale daily encreased, till the ninth, when the weather began to moderate.
We now saw several porpoises, herring-gulls, &c. The first is a fish about five or six feet long, excessively fat, of a bluish black colour, and without scales; the head has small eyes, and no gills, but a long snout, and sharp teeth. The fins are but one dorsal, and two ventral, and the tail is horizontal, to enable it to leap above the water, which it does frequently to blow or breathe, at which time its snorting may be heard at a great distance. The [[387]]flesh of the porpoise when killed is red, and looks like some kinds of pork.
The herring-gull is a bird as large as a tame duck, perfectly white, part of the beak and prime feathers excepted, which are of a dark ash-colour; the eyes are grey, the bill and feet are yellow; the claws are black, and the length of its wings is between four and five feet, from the extremity of the one to the other.